This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for use in disposing of hypodermic needles and more specifically, to such a method and apparatus that prevents inadvertent punctures with contaminated needles.
Among the most frequently reported healthcare personnel injury in hospitals is accidental needlesticks. Accidental needlesticks commonly occur when the sharp portion of a hypodermic needle unintentionally enters the skin of the healthcare personnel following the needle's use on a patient. Serious blood borne diseases including AIDS or hepatitis B can be transmitted to the healthcare personnel through an accidental needlestick following a hypodermic needle's use on an infected patient. The period of greatest risk for serious accidental needlestick injuries occurs after a patient's blood is drawn and before the hypodermic needle is discarded. Proper disposal of a used hypodermic needle usually ends by discarding the needle into a hard-walled plastic container. Prior to discarding the hypodermic needle, it may be recapped, broken, or removed from its attachment site on the syringe or blood-drawing apparatus. Needlestick injuries commonly occur to the healthcare personnel while they are performing these tasks. When used needles are disposed of improperly, hospital maintenance and laundry staff are also at risk of sustaining needlestick injuries.
Because of the serious risk of inadvertent needle-punctures, there is a clear need to improve the process of disposing of used needles such that the risk of disease transmission attributed to accidental needlestick injuries to healthcare personnel is reduced. Various attempts to reduce the risk of needlestick injuries have focussed on either redesigning needle caps or adding recapping apparatus. Other attempts to alleviate the problem have focussed on redesigning the syringe itself. The disadvantages of these approaches are that they are complex and expensive to manufacture. They are also limited in their function with the wide variety of needle apparatus types and sizes.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved method and apparatus for use in disposing of used hypodermic needles.